A construction foreman from Grand Junction, Colorado was forced to file for long-term disability insurance benefits due to his worsening allergic sensitivity to a common chemical compound: Bronopol. This chemical compound is used in a wide variety of consumer products and everyday items, making it risky for him to leave his home. Despite this severe limitation to his day-to-day life and abilities, Aetna chose to deny his claim without conducting an honest investigation. Dabdoub Law Firm jumped into action to challenge their decision and ultimately convinced them to approve his benefits without needing to go to the courtroom.
Details of the Bronopol Allergy Case
Our client left his enjoyable career as a foreman and site supervisor behind in early January 2019 due to his Bronopol allergy. There is a long list of commonplace items that contain Bronopol, including glues, cleaning agents, paints, toiletries, shampoos, inks, pesticides, and more. To make matters worse, many of the industrial-grade substances found on the average construction site contain Bronopol, sometimes in concentrated levels.
If our client is exposed to Bronopol, he can suffer from numerous symptoms, including:
- Dizziness
- Breathing difficulty
- Joint and organ swelling
- Hives
- Upper respiratory congestion
- Pain flares
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), our client’s sensitivity to Bronopol is enough to grant him a 50% disability rating using their system. Multiple laboratory tests, including the trusted “True Test” that gauges allergic reactions, have also confirmed the extent of his Bronopol allergy. If he wants to avoid potentially dangerous allergic reactions on a daily basis, he needs to remain in a controlled environment in his own home or live in the wilderness where no manmade products can be found.
Bizarrely, Aetna decided not to conduct a thorough investigation of his claim before choosing to deny it. In fact, the information provided to Aetna showed only that the extent of his allergy was disabling. There were no documents provided that could possibly be interpreted oppositely. Yet, all the same, the insurance company shut his claim down.
Here at Dabdoub Law Firm, we have seen a practically uncountable amount of disability claims and cases throughout the years. When we heard that Aetna had dismissed his case so quickly, we suspected they were doing what so many other insurers had done in other cases, which is unfairly invalidating a client’s medical condition. A Bronopol allergy is rare, and so Aetna’s case evaluator might have thought the condition was fake or exaggerated.
Of course, an honest review of our client’s medical records shows the seriousness and validity of his allergy. In bringing this information directly to Aetna and under the threat of litigation, we were able to convince them to reverse their decision and approve of his LTD benefits.
Lawyers Specializing in Disability Insurance Claims
Because disability insurance law is complicated, it is important to get legal help from a lawyer who focuses on disability law. Dabdoub Law Firm was built to focus on disability insurance, so our lawyers specialize in disability insurance. We spend every day working to get our clients’ long-term disability benefits approved.
Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, we do not have to be located in your state to help. If your claim for long-term disability benefits was denied or is being delayed by an insurance company, call us to speak with a disability insurance attorney about what to do next.
We represent clients across the U.S. with:
- Submitting a disability insurance claim;
- Appealing a long-term disability denial;
- Negotiating a lump-sum settlement; or
- Filing a lawsuit against your disability insurance company.
Call (800) 969-0488 now for more information.
